Cotton harvester with retriever mechanism



ec. 1, 1953 RUST 2,660,848

COTTON HARVESTER WITH RETRIEVER MECHANISM Filed April 25 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 John D. BusZ,

ATTORNEY- J. D. RUST 2,660,848 COTTON HARVESTER WITH RETRIEVER MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 1,, 1953 Filed April 25, 19 50 Dec. 1, 1953 .J. D. RUST COTTON HARVESTER WITH RETRIEVER MECHANISM Filed April 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIY.

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ATTORNEY.

J. D. RUST COTTON HARVESTER WITH RETRIEVER MECHANISM Dec. 1,1953

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 25, 1950 ll llllkhu/ ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1953 OFFICE COTTON HARVESTER WITH RETRIEVER MECHANISM John D. Rust, Pine Blulf, Ark.

Application April 25, 1950, Serial No. 158,037

13 Claims. 1

My invention relates broadly to cotton picking machines and more specifically to Octton retrieving devices which are to be used with cotton picking machines. Experience has shown that under some field conditions cotton picking machines allow some of the cotton to drop to the ground and thus be wasted. It is to prevent this waste that my present invention provides effective means for catching the falling cotton before it reaches the ground, and to separate the cotton from any trash that might be mixed with the cotton.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide an attachment for cotton picking machines to catch any loose cotton that may fall from the plants as the picking unit of the machine has passed over the plants and before such cotton can reach the ground.

Another object of the present invention is to separate and eject any trash that might be mixed with the cotton.

I have heretofore used cotton retrievers or salvage devices such as those disclosed in U. S. Patents Nos. 2,058,514., issued October 27, 1936, and 2,175,216, issued October 10, 1939, but have found that those devices gathered considerable trash along with the cotton; hence the present invention provides means to overcome the deficiency of the means disclosed in these patents.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects, invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a schematic plan view of so much of a cotton picking machine as is helpful in illustrating the application of my invention to the same.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of my improved cotton retriever mechanism, parts being in section and parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the rear portion of a unit showing a modified form of the left hand unit L of Figure 3 with certain portion being in section.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the cover shaker cam and cover.

In the drawings, l represents the tractor, 2 the rear axle unit, 3 the traction wheels, 4 a power take-off shaft, 5 a, main longitudinal beam which carries the picker unit [3, 6 the main transverse beam which is supported on posts 7 secured to the rear axle unit, and 8 represents an extension frame. 9 represents a supplemental longitudinal beam that extends from a rear transverse beam, not shown, of the frame 8 to a cross beam [0 that cradles the front end of the tractor.

The main beam 5 carries a steering post bracket ll providing a support for a steering post H", which carries a steering wheel 12.

The picker unit 5 3 is suspended from the frame beam 5 by cables Iii running over guide pulleys Hi, the cables being connected to a lever l! at [6. Another cable 255 runs over a guide pulley 2| and is attached to one end to the lever I1 and at the other end the cable 20 is connected to one of the ends of a spring IS. The spring is also connected to an adjusting rod and nut device 22 by means of which the force of the spring can be regulated. The lever l! is pivoted at l8. Pivoted at 24 and 25 is a connecting rod 23, by which rod the front end of the picker unit It is kept in position longitu-- dinally.

26 is an articulated propeller shaft for the picker unit; this shaft has universal joints 2! and is driven from the power take-01f shaft 4 through a chain and sprocket drive 28.

The foregoing enumerated parts are of known construction and, per se, are not a part of my present invention.

Mounted on the picker unit is a counter-shaft 29 having a drive pulley 30, the shaft 29 being driven by the shaft 26.

A driving shaft 3! carries a two-groove pulley and sprocket 3P, 3H, and is driven by a chain 32 from the counter-shaft pulley 30.

The cotton retriever The cotton retriever which comprises my present invention consists of two identical units or sections, a right R and a left L; so a detailed description of one of such units or sections will suffice for both.

By referring now particularly to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that 34 is the bottom plate of a trough-like structure that includes an inclined flange or wall 35. The wall 35 extends around at the front end of the retriever and along the sides and terminates adjacent the rear end of the retriever.

Mounted at the front of the plate 34 is a driving shaft 40 which carries a pulley 4|. The shaft 40 is articulated, having universal joints 40* (Fig. 2)

on the slide 42.

and a slip joint M 9, bearing for the upper end of the shaft 40 is provided in a plate 33 attached to the top of the picker unit 13. The shaft 40 is driven from the shaft 3| by a belt 55 via pulleys 3| and 4 l.

42 indicates a pulley-carrying slide which operates in fixed guides 43 and which has a lug 44 to which one end of a spring" l, is hoohed the spring being also connected tot e 'rearrriost pair of guides 43, as best shown in Fig. 3. The slide 42 carries a pin or stud shaft 45 (Fig. 4)- on which the driven belt pulley glf is journaled and held in place by a washer 49 against the bearing sleeve 41.

50 represents a flexible belt having a large number of teeth 5| similar to those used on seed-cotton cleaning equipment. runs over the forward pulley 39 mounted on shaft 40 beneath pulley tl and over the rear fe is ded b tween i t l e i i tedfdn Bert. backingfpla'tes 31 mount'ea en 61 59 bun d in the trough aq y tn 523m "iwclo e t n plate 54;

erservee to ensue-ether;

The n I tton will be db'y the teeth and'c'ar- WRQ PYW ri e to; place where it is delivered to "an e trough (sejf Eigs '3 and 4) Adjacent: '1 zzletheclosui'e 69 has an air-intake open- [Tfie teemin sesnd nozzle" 09- t the suction airjet'ream ill riot. (115a in tfa 'sh which 'is adapted 'to be t ream ofi'a't Er1e"iar"ena portion er the l135ia'rrd bottorn platet l of the retriever whilethe "rr'iac hgn 11 tion suction "is raaueee in du andn e any'approved waygs'uch, for eii'empie, ias that closed' in aum 2305s?- 515i (see'Figs2 'd 23 of'thatffiatent). V

teem ce tm are e the space between the flightso'f the 'belt,lIip 'ro-l vide aJnaterial-deflecting shieldiifi, as "shown 113;: g H the e e l. ,L l a The retriever units or sections Bland L are swive r. ex cted etthe. 1 1 tothe P19 9 4 1 tires a 6t." The r r p rt n 0 fli 11 2 are yieldably connected by a bailfit; thatis con,- nected to one end of a lever 64 (Fig. 2) that is pivoted at 65 toa b'r'ackettt,the other end of the, lever being connected W with the picker unit ifbve b jej sme underwrit r iq el l t e 9 whi h W l i r se unit d tie fron flendfoi 'the re'trie se iid fan together, the rear end "off the retriever ill i w ser l ria l- I 7.,

.The pi'ckingfunitjisfproviiied with "suitable The art it crowded 'andpullfed past tion 4 on the under side of the cover to rock the cover from side to side to agitate it enough to cause material on top of the cover to be shaken off into the trough.

As the cotton plants with any loose cotton thereon leave the picking unit !3 they are guided between the two units of the retriever and any loose eottonthat might be adhering to the plants is shaken or jarred loose therefrom by the engagement of the plants with the retriever units and thus the loose cotton is caused to fall into the retriever troughs to be gathered and moved ieerwereiy bytl-i'e 'belts 5B. As the plants leave the retriever, any trash which might have been deposited in the troughs will be thrown oil by centrifugal force and only the cotton adhering to thefteetli 5=I Will be carried around to the suction nozzle, sucked clear of the belt, and carried to a suitable delivery place.

The modifications shown Figs. 5' and-6 Inmeuree '5 andbtliere is shown afr'rrodifioae of one df'the two units illustrated in VFi'gure Itv 'is to be understood that in "the rhodificati'dnshown iirFf ure 6 that "there w'oiildb' tw'ounit's employe -i1 in the same 'rrianner as-illustrated in Figure 3, 'nafriely a "right hand :an'd' a left her-1e iifiitgb'd't in "view "of the. fact that both. urii'tsfare eh'ti thedi'sclosure'shownin Figures 5"a'n "6"is"d ir ctedftoonlyonefun'itgnamely the left'li'a'rid unit; "In Figures5 and fi thefpfarts' of, the unit. shown therein which correspondfto the 'fs'aifieparts '"of the unit showni'n Figure 3.

beerthesairie erenc'e numerals, .fpl'us the letter IZY ln'view 'offthe fact thattheiparts of F'iguiesQB; and fifwouldicofrespond to the. same parts in Figure 3,"i'tv"isffelt that a description of these-parts would bfe Tineiely a. repetition .of thefde'sfi', tt'ibnferitne eame partsshcwnimil'rfse which rpune feie "turns in;oraerre i-estriet ahd, retar he eotte'ns so' 'thatit may an teefieage i ap'i tru 1 iriesetrieues "engage "e "teeth 5w ofthefbel m'andbrueherr the cotton'that "Under sd iiie "eenumtns of the" cotton bein harvestedit is preferable reempiey machines embodying/then "tfemtbfinfent hi my ihvefiti'on, while aneer'ce'rtain' purer edr'idi-ti'ons ihachines embeaymgthe' fofrzi' ofiny inventionmay b eusedto abetter advantage. From the 'rer'egoifig eesdr-ipueni taken in 'con-r rre cti or with t hre aficompaiiying drawings; it is thought that the" teaser-xenon; operatibnf'and f Y%ntags of the invention willflbeclear'td those Skill'difitl'i art.

What I claim is:

1. In a cotton picking machine wherein a traveling picker unit includes a housing having a plant passageway for passage of the cotton plants therethrough and wherein means are provided within the housing for picking cotton from the plants, the improvement which comprises a cotton retrieving apparatus to retrieve cotton dropping from the plants subsequent to the action of the picking means, said retrieving apparatus including a pair of right-hand and lefthand retrieving units one at each side of the path of travel of the plants leaving the plant passageway, each of said units including a trough, an endless traveling belt having cottoncatching teeth to gather cotton in the trough, means at one place to crowd the cotton toward the belt, and means to remove the cotton from the belt at another place, said crowding means comprising a rotatable roller for cooperating with the toothed belt to form a restricted passage between the roller and the toothed belt, said passage extending the full height of the toothed p ortion of the belt.

2. In a cotton picking machine wherein a traveling picker unit includes a housing having a plant passageway for passage of the cotton plants therethrough and wherein means are provided within the housing for picking cotton from the plants, the improvement which comprises a cotton retrieving apparatus to retrieve cotton dropping from the plants subsequent to the action of the picking means, said retrieving apparatus including a pair of right-hand and lefthand retrieving unit one at each side of the path of travel of the plants leaving the plant passageway, each of said units including a trough, an endless traveling belt having cottoncatching teeth to gather cotton in the trough, means at one place to crowd the cotton toward. the belt, and means to remove the cotton from the belt at another place, said cotton removing means comprising a rotary brush mounted to engage the teeth of said toothed belt and brush ofi the cotton thereon and a suction nozzle and duct to which said brush delivers the cotton.

3. In a cotton picking machine wherein a traveling picker unit includes a housing having a plant passageway for passage of the cotton plants therethrough and wherein means are provided within the housing for picking cotton from the plants, the improvement which comprises a cotton retrieving apparatus to retrieve cotton dropping from the plants subsequent to the action of the picking means, said retrieving apparatus including a pair of right-hand and lefthand retrieving units one at each side of the path of travel of the plants leaving the plant passageway, each of said units including a trough, an endless traveling belt having cottoncatching teeth to gather cotton in the trough, means at one place to crowd the cotton toward the belt, and means to remove the cotton from the belt at another place, said crowding means comprising a rotatable roller for cooperating with the toothed belt to form a restricted passage between the roller and the toothed belt, said passage extending the full height of the toothed portion of the belt, said cotton removing means comprising a rotary brush mounted to engage the teeth of said toothed belt and brush oi? the cotton thereon and a suction nozzle and duct to which said brush delivers the cotton.

4. In a cotton picking machine wherein a traveling picker unit includes a housing having 6. a plant passageway for passage of the cotton plants therethrough and wherein means are provided within the housing for picking cotton from the plants, the improvement which comprises a cotton retrieving apparatus to retrieve cotton dropping from the plants subsequent to the action of the picking means, said retrieving apparatus including a pair of right-hand and left-hand retrieving units one at each side of the path of travel of the plants leaving the plant passageway, each of said units including a trough, an endless traveling belt having cottoncatching teeth to gather cotton in the trough, means at one place to crowd the cotton toward the belt, and means to remove the cotton from the belt at another place, said crowding means comprising a rotatable roller for cooperating with the toothed belt to form a restricted passage between the roller and the toothed belt, said passage extending the full height of the toothed portion of the belt, each of said retriever having a cover over said toothed belt and means to agitate said cover to slide off cotton, that may fall on the cover, into the trough.

5. A loose-cotton retriever for cotton picking machine units, which retriever comprises a righthand and a left-hand retrieving unit, means by which said retrieving units may be mounted on a cotton picking machine to the rear-of said picking units, each of said retriever units including: an elongated trough member, an endless traveling belt having cotton-catching teeth mounted in said trough, means adjacent said belt at the rear of the same at one side of the trough for causing cotton in the trough to be distributed over the adjacent portion of the toothed face of the belt to be caught by said teeth, and means at another place in the trough for removing the caught cotton from said teeth, said means to cause the cotton to be distributed over the adjacent portion of the toothed face of the belt including a rotating roller.

6. A loose-cotton retriever for cotton picking machine units, which retriever comprises a righthand and a left-hand retrieving unit, means by which said retrieving units may be mounted on a cotton picking machine to the rear of said picking units, each of said retriever units including: an elongated trough member, an endless traveling belt having cotton-catching teeth mounted in said trough, means adjacent said belt at the rear of the same at one side of the trough for causing cotton in the trough to be distributed over the adjacent portion of the toothed face of the belt to he caught by said teeth, and means at another place in the trough for removing the caught cotton from said teeth, said cotton removing means comprising a rotary brush mounted to engage the teeth of said toothed belt and brush off the cotton thereon and a suction nozzle and duct to which said brush delivers the cotton.

7. A cotton retriever device for use with a cotton picking machine wherein said picking machine includes a traveling picking unit having a plant passageway for the passage of a row of cotton plants, said retriever device including a pair of elongated troughs for catching any cotton dropping from the plants subsequent to action of the picking unit, connecting means at the forward end of each of said troughs adapted to detachably connect said troughs to said picking unit in spaced parallel relation with one another to define a restricted space therebetween in alignment with said plant passageway, an endtraveling belt positioned within each of said troughs, teeth on said belts for engaging and hooking the cotton in said troughs, means car ried on one side of each of said troughs adja cent the rear end thereof for directing the cotton into engagement with said teeth and means carlied on the other side of each of said troughs for removing the cotton from said teeth.

8. cotton retriever device for use with a cotton picking machine wherein said picking machine includes a traveling picking unit having a plant passageway for the passage of a row of cotton plants, said retriever device including a pair of elongated troughs for catching any cotton dropping from the plants subsequent to action of the picking unit, connecting means at the f orwardend of each of said troughs adapted to detachably connect said troughs to said picking unit in spaced parallel relation with one another to define a restricted space therebetween in alignment with said plant passageway, an endless traveling belt positioned within each of said troughs, teeth on said belts for engaging and hooking the cotton in said troughs, means carried on one side of each of said troughs 'adiacent the rear end thereof for directing the cotton into engagement with said teeth and means carried on-theother sideof each of said troughs for removing the cotton from said teeth, a cover mounted on each of said troughs and arranged to extend over the -belt in each of said troughs and means mounted on one end of each of said troughs for agitating said covers to deliver any cotton falling on said covers into said troughs.

9.- -A-eotton retrieverdevice ior'use with a cotton picking -machine wherein said picking machine ineludes a traveling picking unit having a plant passageway for the passage of a row of cotton plants, said retriever device including a pair -of elongated troughsfor catching any cotton dropping from the plants subsequent to aotion of the pickingunit,- oonnectingmeans at the forward 'end -of each of said troughs :adapted to detaohably "connect said troughs to :said picking unit in-spaced iparallel :relaitionw'ith on'e another to define a restricted space therebetweon in alignment with said plant passageway, an endless traveling belt=positioned within each of said troughs, teeth on said bolts for engaging and hooking the cotton in said itroughs, means car rie'd onone side ofeach of 1 said troughs adjacent the rear end thereof for directing the cotton into engagement with said teeth and 'means married on -the other side of each of said :troughs :for :re-

moving the cotton from said-teeth,-?each of said troughs having :an opening formed-at the rear end thereof, said traveling belts ejecting through said opening by centrifugal-force :any =trash col-'- lec-ted in said troughs.-

IOHA cotton retriever device for use with .a cotton picking machine wherein saidipicking machine includes a traveling picking unit having a plant passageway ior the passage of a row of cotton :plan-ts, said retriever device including .a :pa-ir-o'f trough =members forcatching any cotton "dropping 'from the ;plants subsequent 130 the :action of the ,-p-icking unit, connecting -means sat theiforward end-zof eachrofsaid troughs adapted to detachably connect-said troughs to said -,pieking unitinspaeediparallel relation'with one:another try-define .a restricted space therehetween in alignment with said .plant passageway, an endless --tra;veling Feelt positioned within each 50f said troughs, iteeth uon 'sa-id belt :for engaging crowder carried on one side of each of said troughs adjacent the rear endthereof for directing the cotton into engagement with said teeth, each of said troughs having an opening formed at the rear end thereof for the ejecting of any trash collected in said troughs.

11. A cotton retriever device for use with a cotton picking machine wherein said picking machine includes a traveling picking unit having a plant passageway for the passage of a row of cotton plants, said retriever device including a pair of trough members for catching any cotton dropping from the plants subsequent to the action of the picking unit, connecting means at the forward end of each of said troughs adapted to detachably connect said troughs to said picking unit in spaced parallel relation with one another to define :a restricted space therebetween in alignment with said plant passageway, an endless traveling belt positioned within each of said troughs, "teeth on said belt for engaging and hooking the cotton in said troughs, :a cover loosely mounted on :and arranged .to extend partially over each of said troughs, :agitating means mounted on the iorward .end of each of said troughs for -vihrating :said covers ;to deliver any cotton falling thereon :into said troughs, a cotton crowder carried on one side of each .of said troughs adiacent 'therear :end thereof fordirecting the cotton into engagement with said teeth, each of :said troughs having :an [opening formed at the :rear end thereof ror 'the eiection'ioi any trash collected in "said troughs.

12. A Icotton retriever device z-fior use *with a cotton picking machine wherein said picking machine includes a traveling ipicking unit having a plant passageway for :the passage .of a row rof cotton plants, said retfiever device including :a pair of trough members tier-catching :any :co'tton dropping Ifrom the :plants subsequent to the action of the picking .unit, connecting *means at the forward end of each of said trough adapted to detaehably conne'ctrsaid troughs tozsaid apicking unit "in spaced parallel relation with none "another'to defin'e a restricted:spacertherebetween in alignment with said lplant passageway, .an endless travel ng :beltzpositioned within each of said troughs, teethionsaid belt "for engaging and 'hooliing' the cotton in said itroughs, a :cover :loosely m0unte'd on and arranged to extend partially over each of said ftroughs, agitating means mounted on the forward :end :of :each .of said troughs for vibrating SaiHaGOVBXS to deliver any cotton falling the'reon into said troughs, a :cotton crowder carriedcnone sideof each :of said troughs adjacent the :rear end thereof for :direciting the -cotton into engagement with said teeth, a suction no'z z'le carried by the 1 other :side of each of -said :trou jhs for removing the ;,cotton "fiornsaid tee'th, each of so id troughs having :an opening formed at 'the rear eelid thereof for the eje'otion of any' trash collected in-said' troughs.

:A- cotton retriever devise -"for use with a *cotton picking machine 'Whereni said picking T niahihe nroll-ides a-travling picking unit -havmg a plant ipassageway for the "pa ssage "of -a 'row of cotton "plants,- said -'retri'ever device including a pair of trough members for catching any "cot- "ton' dropping 'from the plants subsequent to the action of the picking unit, connecting means at the 'fo'rward -end of eachof said troug'hs ad pted to detachably connect said troughs to =said picking unit inspace'd parallel relation with one another i to define a restricted sspace 'therebetween .aindhookingwthewotton -inisaiditrcughspazcotton a n nt with 75 11 im m; passageway, tan

endless traveling belt positioned within each of said troughs, teeth on said belt for engaging and hooking the cotton in said troughs, a cover loosely mounted on and arranged to extend partially over each of said troughs, agitating means mounted on the forward end of each of said troughs for vibrating said covers to deliver any cotton falling thereon into said troughs, a cotton crowder carried on one side of each of said troughs adjacent the rear end thereof for directing the cotton into engagement with said teeth, a suction nozzle carried by the other side of each of said troughs for removing the cotton from said teeth, each of said troughs having an opening formed at the rear end thereof for the ejection of any trash collected in said troughs, a bail connected to the rear end of said troughs, a lever connected to said bail and a cable adapted to connect said lever to the picking unit.

JOHN D. RUST.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rust et al. Oct. 2'7, 1936 

